Solenoid initiating mechanism for machine guns



y 1945- LA VERN E. QUINNELL ErAL 2,380,611

SOLENOID INITIATING MECHANISM FOR MACHINE GUNS Filed Sept, 16, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet l h i3; :1: :1 0 50 i Waikiy 31, 1945- LA VERN E. QUINNELL ET AL 2,380,

SOLENOID INITIATING MECHANISM FOR MACHINE GUNS Filed Sept. 16, 194-2 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 g z m INVENTORS. l a arm and Qwmei 42 7g A w 0]o%wi6 owz,

w mwwywy ga s y 1945- LA VERN E. QUINNELL ET AL 2,380,611

SOLENOID INITIATING MECHANISM FOR MACHINE GUNS Filed Sept 16, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS:

QZZZ fl n wa a QM-www 742000.55: Q/O7/z/ @(mwvz 1 v a y: xwmadwww Qw Patented July 31, 1945 STATES PATENT OFFICE SOLENOID INITIATING MECHANISM FOR MACHINE GUNS La Vern Edward Quinnell and John C. Boone.

Fort Wayne, Ind.. assignors to The Mama Company. Fort Wayne. Ind., a corporation of V Delaware Application September 16. 1942. Serial No. 458.516

2 Claims.

position on the bufier tube oi a machine gun ad-- Jacent to the rear plate.

It is a further object to provide such a mechanism which can be readily and quickly so mounted on a standard machine gun without any changes in the gun. In other words. it can be readily and quickly attached and detached from the ordinary standard Browning machine gun in service without making any changes in the gun and can be so mounted and demounted without the use 01' any tools other than those found in the present standard machine gun tool kit.

It is a further object to provide such mechanism with means whereby it can be readily and quickly operated by hand should the electrical operation fail.

It is a further object to provide such a mechanism with means for readily and quickly throwing the manual initiating firing mechanism out 01' operation, to prevent accidental firing of the gun.

It is a iurther object to provide such a mechanism with means for readily and quickly locking and unlocking the mechanism in position on the buii'er tube by merely operating a lever by hand and without the use 01' any tools or equipment.

The above and other features of novelty, ad-

vantages and capabilities will become apparent from a detailed description of the accompanying drawings in which we have illustrated a mechanism embodying the preferred form of our invention but the construction there shown will be understood as illustrative and not as defining the limits of our invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showinga firing initiating mechanism, embodying our present invention, as mounted on a' buffer tube oi a standard caliber .50 Browning machine gun, the latter being shown in outline with portions broken away and the trigger bar and trigger sear in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a rear end elevational view of the same: Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view showing the manually operated initiating firingmechanism ready ior operation;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed view showing the means for readily and quickly locking and unlocking the electrical controlled firing mechalocked in position on the butter tube;

nism in position on-the bufl'er tube and against the rear plate of the gun. In this view the locking mechanism is in a position to permit the demounting or withdrawal the mechanism:

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the position oi the locking means when the firing mechanism is Fig. 6'is an enlarged view of the electrical controlled iiring mechanism mounted in operative position on the buffer tube showing the solenoid and adiacentparts in section;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view 6! the eelctrical controlled firing mechanism showing it demoimted from the gun:

Fig. 8 is a-detailed sectional view of a portion of g the solenoid and operating parts showing the position of the movable parts when operating the trigger bar for firing the gun:

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of the rear end plate of the gun and louder bar showing the means for readily and quickly locking and unlocking the electrical controlled firing mechanism on the butler bar;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view or the electrical controlled mechanism ready for being poeitioned on the butter tube;

Fig.'11 is a perspective view of the means for manually operating the controlled firing mechanism should it fail to operate electrically, which mechanism is adapted to be mounted on the buifer tube in the rear of and adjacent to the electrically controlled firing mechanism, as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3.

' in operative position; and

Fig. 13 is a similar view showing such member 4 when arranged to prevent accidental firing.

Referring to the drawings, the machine gun shown is a standard caliber .50 Browning type, the casing being the usual rectangular form and includes side plates and an end plate. Within the casing is a trigger bar l0, pivotally mounted at H. The forward end of this bar when rocked operates the well-known standard sear-pin, as shown in dotted lines at I! in Fig. 1. Extending rearwardly from the rear plate I! of such standard gun is a butler tube i4. Opposite to and in alignment with the rear end of the trigger bar in is a small window or opening it in the rear plate in the caliber .50 Browning machine gun. As the mechanism of such gun from the sear-pin on is so well-known and understood in the art and forms no part of our invention, it is not thought necessary to describe such mechanism here.

Turning now to the structure according to the present invention in order to bring about the operation of the sear-pin, we mount on the buffer tube l4 our electrically remote controlled initiating firing mechanism. This mechanism comprises a solenoid, the casing of which is ID. Other essential parts of the solenoid consist of a field coil 20, a movable core 22 and a fixed core 24. Both the fixed and movable cores are centrally bored to provide coaxial openings extending longitudinally thereof, as best shown in Fig. 6. The core 24 is fixed within the casing in any suitable manner and is provided with an integral cylindrical extension 26 of sufllcient length to extend .through the window I6 in the rear plate I! of the gun. The forward end of the cylindrical extension 26 is formed at its upper surface as a bracket 28. on which is pivotally mounted a lifter 30. This lifter is provided with a forwardly extending flange 32 at its-lower end and is so arranged and positioned as to engage the rear end of the trigger bar in when the lifter is swung forwardly.

A sliclably mounted trigger shaft assembly is provided for causing the lifter to swing forward,

, this assembly comprising a pin 34 mounted inthe axially disposed bores in the movable and fixed cores 22 and 24. By referring to Figs. 6 and 8 it will be seen that the pin 34 at its rear end is externally screw-threaded and screws into the opening in the movable core 22 which is cooperatively screw-threaded surrounding the pin 34, Within an enlarged portion of the bore in the fixed core 24 and extension 26 thereof is a coil spring 36 held in position between a suitable stop 38 and a shoulder 40 where the forward end of the enlarged bore terminates. The forward part of the pin 34 is fixed in the drilled out shoulder 42 of the pin 44. This pin 44 is slidably mounted in reduced portions of the central bore in the fixed core extension 26.

Attached and operatively connected to the solenoid is a flexible cable assembly 46 which, when operatively connected to a source of electrical energy, will cause the movable core 22 to move forwardly. Such movement through the trigger shaft assembly just described causes the lifter 30 to engage and lift the rearward end of the trig er bar H), the forward end of this bar in turn swinging downwardly to operate the sear pin i2 and fire the gun. The solenoid is provided with what can be termed a micrometic adjusting means to operate the trigger bar in such a manner that the final position of the trigger bar will be predetermined and in this way control the downward movement of the sear l2 thereby determining the distance out of battery which the gun will fire. The distance out of battery at which the machine gun fires determines the cyclic rate of the gun as well as its ability to pick up the maximum ammunition load. This means is shown in Figs. 2,3 and 6, but as it is described in detail in our copending application Serial No. 392,826, filed May 10. 1941, it need not here be described in detail, particularly as it will not be claimed hereinafter per se.

The casing l8 of the solenoid firing'mechanism has formed preferably integrally therewith a pair of spaced-apart split clamping rings 48, which are provided with an inner lining of dead, soft material such as copper, to assure a maximum clamping action. The soft copper takes the impression of the imperfections in the buffer tube thus giving a. proper tight g ipping action. After these rings are slipped over the buffer tube they are caused to grip the same by tightening the bolts 60. For this purpose all that is needed is an ordinary tool which i found in the standard kit. After the electrically controlled firing mechanism has been thus properly secured on the buffer tube, the manually operated initiating mechanism, best shown in Fig. 11, is positioned over the buffer tube. The manually operated mechanism is provided in addition to the electrically operated mechanism so as to permit operation of the gun by hand should the latter fail for any reason. This mechanism, like the one just described, also has a similar split ring 52 which is slipped over the buffer tube and tightened up in the same way (see also Fig. 3). The upper portion of the ring 52 is provided with a bracket 54 in which is pivotally mounted a rocker arm 56 having fixed thereto an operating handle 68. The rocker arm 66 is provided with a central bore 60, as best shown in Figs. 12 and 13, in which is mounted a coil spring 62. The extreme upper end of the rocker arm 56 is bifurcated and has pivotally mounted therein an L-shaped trigger member 64 provided with a plurality of detents 66 adapted to receive a latching ball 68, which ball is constantly pressed outwardly by the compression spring 62. When the trigger member is in the position shown in Figs. 11 and 12, on the operation of the handle 58, the for-, wardly projecting part of the arm will pass through a central opening 10 in the rear of the solenoid casing l8, and, contacting the core 22, will cause it to move forward, which in turn. through the interposed trigger shaft assembly. will cause the lifter 30 to engage the forward end of the trigger bar it) to operate the trigger sear I2.

The trigger member 64 provides a safety feature which permits throwing the hand control out of operation so that the gun will not be fired accidentally. To this end, all that is necessary is to manually move the L-shaped member from the position shownin Fig. 12 to that shown in Fig. 13 where it will be frictionally held by the ball registering with the proper detent 66 in the trigger member 64.

In operation and when it isdesired to use only the electrically controlled firing mechanism, the hand firing mechanism is rendered inoperative by moving the Lshaped member 64 into the po sition shown in Fig. 13. Should the electrically controlled mechanism fail. then all the operator need do is, by means of his thumb, for example. to move the L-shaped member 64 into the position shown in Fig. 12 and then operate the handle 56 as heretofore described.

Means are provided for preventing the accidental displacement or dislodgment of the mechanism of the invention from its correct position on the gun. To this end, the under surface of the extension 26 is provided with a notch I2 adapted to receive means for readily and. quickly locking the mechanism in position on the buffer tube. This locking means is best shown in Figs. 4 and ,5 and consists of a latch 14. pivotally mounted at 16 on the rear plate '3 of the gun and having spaced therefrom an upwardly extending bifurcated member 18 adapted to receive a headed screw or bolt carried by the rear plate I3 of the gun. This latch is normally held in locking position, that is to say, engaging the notch 12, by a suitable coil spring 82, as best shown in Fig.

5, and when it is desired to remove the mechanism from the buffer tube M the latch is moved downwardly to the position illustrated, for example, in Fig. 4 by pressing on the thumb piece 84.

It is to be noted that the locking means will hold the solenoid on the gun even although the tightening of the clamping screws 50 be overlooked and thus ensure the satisfactory functioning 01' the gun under such conditions, the spring 82 being always in contact with the bufler tube l4 ensuring that the latch ll be held in engagement with the notch 12.

The lifter 30 heretofore described is so constructed that it can be passed through the window or opening l6 atthe back of the rear plate I 3 ofthe gun, and then when the solenoid is mounted in position on the bufler tube. the lifter will drop down so that it lies flush with the forward lace ofsaid plate I 3, the lower edge of the lifter coming to rest below the lower edge of the window It. The litter is magnetized permanently so as to have magnetic attraction to the forward face of the gun plate [3 sufiiciently to keep it in this position when removing or replacing the gun plate and solenoid assembly on the gun proper. This feature prevents any damage to the trigger bar or other gun mechanism by the lifter when removing or replacing the gun plate on the gun. c

From the foregoing description, it will beseen that we have provided a mechanism for initiat- We claim:

1. The combination with a gun having a sear pin, a trigger bar for operating said sear pin, a rear plate having an opening therethrough, and a butler tube extending rearwardly from said rear plate, of a solenoid detachably mounted on said bufler tube and having a movable core and a fixed core, a forwardly extending extension on said fixed core and projecting through the opening in said rear plate into juxtaposition to said trigger bar, a trigger shaft assembly connected to and operable by said movable core and projecting through said fixed core and the extension trigger bar, a trigger shaft assembly connected thereof, and a lifter member pivotally mounted on the forward end of said extension adapted to be lifted on actuation of said movable core to operate said trigger bar.

2. The combination with a gun having a sear pin, a trigger bar for operating said sear pin, a rear plate having an opening therethrough, and a butler tube extending rearwardly from said rear plate, of asolenoid detachably mounted on said bufler tube and having a movable core and a fixed core, a forwardly extending extension on said fixed core and projecting through the opening in said rear plate into juxtaposition to said to and operable by said movable core and projecting through said fixed core and the extension thereof, and a permanently magnetized lifter member pivotally mounted on the forward end of said extension adapted to be lifted on actuation of said movable core to operate said trigger bar and urged to lowered position by the magnetic attractive force between the member and the rear plate.

m V'ERN EDWARD oummn JOHN c. KOONZ. 

